Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer

$100,000 - $180,000/Yr

N'Light Agency - Longmont, CO

Full-time - Mid Level

Longmont, CO

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

About the position

As a Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer at nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems, Inc., you will play a crucial role in the design and integration of opto-mechanical systems for High Energy Laser (HEL) weapon systems, which are a top modernization priority for the Department of Defense. This position requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in opto-mechanical system design and integration, with a focus on developing cutting-edge laser and electro-optical systems. You will be responsible for applying design principles such as Design for Excellence (DFX) to create manufacturing-friendly and cost-optimized solutions that meet or exceed functional design goals. Your work will involve the design, analysis, and assembly of opto-mechanical systems from concept through to final integration, ensuring that all aspects of the design are synchronized with thermal and packaging requirements. In this role, you will oversee and participate in the procurement and assembly of engineering builds, providing mentorship to team members and fostering a collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and pride in workmanship. You will need to effectively manage schedules and priorities with minimal daily direction, adapting to frequently changing requirements and developing rapid-turn solutions. Your experience with project management software such as GitLab or Jira will be essential in documenting engineering decision-making and managing system-level trade studies. Additionally, you will be expected to architect design solutions based on design requirements and stakeholder input, breaking down larger scale system designs and delegating tasks to a diverse team of engineers. Your expertise in rugged design for optical systems, including kinematic and flexure mounting, as well as optical system alignment and test methods, will be critical to the success of the projects you undertake. You will also utilize Solidworks for design verification and exhibit strong troubleshooting skills in the implementation of electro-optical systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, analysis, and assembly of opto-mechanical systems from concept through design finalization and integration.
• Oversee and participate in the procurement and assembly of engineering builds.
• Mentorship of team members.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5+ years of experience working in opto-mechanical system design and integration.
• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Optical Engineering, or related technical field.
• Experience using GitLab, Jira, or similar project management software.
• Experience with system level trade studies and documenting engineering decision making.
• Ability to architect design solutions from design requirements and stakeholder input.
• Experience breaking down larger scale system design and delegating engineering tasking to a diverse team of contributing engineers.
• Experience in rugged design for optical systems including kinematic and flexure mounting.
• Experience in rugged design for optical and structural adhesive mounting.
• Experience in optical system alignment and test methods.
• Experience in Solidworks.
• Ability to use hand calculations to verify design requirements.
• Exhibit strong troubleshooting skills and familiarity with implementation of electro-optical systems.
• Expertise in fabrication and assembly drawing preparation for manufacturing (ISO and ANSI standards) including experience with version control and change record documentation.
• Experience in design for manufacturability and assembly (DFMA).
• Experience with various manufacturing techniques - machining, sheet metal, injection molding, etc.
• Experience in Opto-Mechanical Assembly, including receiving and inspecting components, dry-assembly, bonding.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in large optic design and analysis.
• Experience with wave front error both thermally and assembly induced.
• Experience in thermal management systems.
• STOP analysis (structural, thermal, optical performance).
• Experience in vibration test and analysis and isolation methods, in particular jitter analysis for opto-mechanical systems.
• Experience in finite element analysis (FEA) and modeling of vibration and thermal effects.
• Static structure, fatigue, random vibration, and modal analysis.
• Experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis.
• Experience with MATLAB & Labview.
• Experience in Adaptive Optical (AO) Systems and/or High Energy Laser systems.
• Exposure to MIL-STD-810 design and/or testing.
• Supervisory and/or Management Experience.
• Experience with operation of machining, welding, or fabrication equipment.

Benefits

• Health (ACA Gold Plan), Vision and Dental Care paid by employer 100% for Employee and 75% for Dependents.
• Paid Family Leave.
• Short and Long Term Disability paid by employer 100%.
• Competitive 401k with immediate vesting annual Employer Profit Sharing Contribution.
• Approx. 3 weeks Paid Time Off + 11 Paid Holidays.